Jonas Kaufmann, Tenor for the Ages

This is an intimate look at of one of the greatest tenors of our time, as seen through his eyes and those of friends and associates. Jonas Kaufmann, the admired and supremely talented German singer, has faced challenges and experienced triumphs, which he discusses here along with sharing his refreshingly straightforward worldview. At the same time as it tells Kaufmann's story, the film asks bigger questions about balancing art and life and about what risks and precautions singers, especially opera singers, must take to succeed. Kaufmann is a perfectionist but not a diva - as evidenced by a scene in which he forgets his sword in the dressing room minutes before going onstage to perform the role of Othello and goes to fetch it himself. His sheer talent, great intelligence, and overall pleasant demeanor come together in this portrait of this artist.